Family Refrigerators

Thanks for the memories

The day has finally come to take down the family shrine proudly displayed on the magnetic doors of our 20 + year old refrigerator.  I took down “A Handful of Love” masterpiece from my youngest, “The Longest Problem” (read that- math long division), I have ever solved, and a tiny Turkey hand cut out. How did we get here? IF the turkey hand were cut out today, it would look like a Sears glove pattern fit for the Abominable Snowman.

 We’ve put up with buying ice for close to five years now…Ridiculous, I know.  On the bright side, our corner gas station is to our family like the Cheers bar was to its cast member patrons.  Our fridge was too old to repair, and we didn’t want to buy a new technologically based refrigerator because we already live in a surveillance state. Read that: I didn’t want my refrigerator reporting my household shenanigans to Big Brother.    

 Now that I think about it, it was probably because of all the great memories affixed by magnets on the doors that held us beholden to our dear ol’ fridge for so long. Our oldest son’s newborn picture has been displayed in its magnetic frame for 24 years.  Sunrises, sunsets, and time fade the photo, but it is still as special as when we had the photo developed and printed back shortly after Y2K.

With our family treasures piled upon my kitchen counter, I rediscovered a snowman made by our youngest when he was in preschool- it was hidden on the scary side of the refrigerator. This once pristine white snowman has morphed into a grossly discolored snowman with disjointed cotton balls hanging off it.  I counted 25 magnets when everything was taken off the fridge.  We’ll have to choose a new tourist trinket to show off the few places we’ve traveled over the years:)

Now that we’ve graduated to a modern refrigerator, where will we display our family treasures?  Like the old fortunes from Chinese takeout?  The cool quotes that we’ve jotted down over the years.  And the art masterpieces crafted by the hands of our littles?  I guess I’ll get a corkboard and try to recreate our family fridge.

 In closing, I’d like to pen an homage to our frig: Dear Ol’ Frig, thanks for the memories. You kept our food cold and our frozen food frozen(most of the time), and you’ve held manufactured and homemade delicacies. My oldest two begrudgingly remember the zillion “Mommies Milk Bags” in the freezer back in the day. We’ll always be thankful to you, ol’ fridge.